The nurse came in to change James' bandages, and seeing the still red and angry wound, Chloe instinctively twitched the corner of her mouth, as if feeling his pain herself. "Does your head still hurt?" Chloe asked, gesturing towards the spot on his head where he'd been hit at the bar the night before while looking for Vicky. "Not really," James replied.

"Where are Vicky and Maggie today? They're not around," Chloe continued, trying to make conversation.

James shrugged. "How would I know? I'm not their keeper. If they're not here, it's not the end of the world for me."

He had no interest in prying into their whereabouts.

The fact that they weren't bothering him was just fine by James.

"Don't you ever think about your own future? Maggie seems pretty genuine about her feelings for you. Aren't you going to give her a chance?"

Chloe knew she shouldn't be meddling, but as a friend, she wanted to see him with someone who would stick by his side.

Ideally, it would be someone he liked and someone who truly cared about him.

"Chloe, are you starting on your love advice again?" James asked, sounding slightly exasperated.

"Love advice? What's that supposed to mean?"

James said, "You know, trying to set people up or push them into relationships.

"What's so bad about that? I don't see why it's necessary to be tied down to just one person."

Chloe wasn't sure if he was putting on a brave face or if he genuinely felt that way.

"I'm just making a suggestion. It's up to you whether you want to face the truth or not. It's all about what you decide."

"Thanks for the suggestion, but I'd prefer if you didn't offer any more." James' tone had taken on a sullen edge, a rare occurrence.

Chloe recalled that he hardly ever got genuinely angry, even when he'd provocatively teased Michael about his gun.

This time, however, it was clear he was truly upset.

"Alright, I won't push it. It's your life, after all," Chloe said, quickly dropping the topic to avoid further discomfort.

But just as she was about to leave, James brought it up again.

"You haven't exactly sorted out your own life. How can you judge mine?"

Chloe shot back, "What do you mean, 'not sorted out'? I've never felt clearer about my own life."

"Michael still thinks the baby you're carrying is mine. As the months go by, have you figured out how you'll keep this from him and the child? Have you thought about letting the baby actually call me Dad?" Chloe was taken aback, her mouth opening in surprise.

She hadn't thought that far ahead.

"Chloe, I don't have a particular desire for marriage, and you've lost faith in it after your recent divorce. Maybe we should just make the best of things and settle for each other." James' voice was half-joking, but it made Chloe's skin crawl.

"Don't even think about it. I have no intention of stepping back into the graveyard of marriage."

Even if it meant raising the child alone, that was still easier for her than getting married again.

The thought of her previous three years in a marriage felt like a nightmare.

"You're so uptight. I was just teasing you. Don't take it seriously."

James chuckled, turning onto his side and pulling the blanket over himself, claiming he was tired.

Chloe stayed with him for a while, but once she noticed his breathing had evened out, she adjusted his blanket and quietly left.

As soon as Chloe was gone, James' blue eyes snapped open, clear and alert, completely devoid of sleepiness.

He thought about Chloe's fearful expression when she talked about marriage and couldn't help but chuckle softly, gazing at the moon outside and sinking into a long silence. Later, Chloe returned to the resort, as the client had mentioned she could test working with Ariana first.

If it didn't work out, she could always bow out of the project later.

Ariana was surprised to see her when she showed up.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.